


All I Want for Christmas

by Petri808



Series: Fairytail AU Short Stories & One Shots [17]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, F/M, Friendship/Love, True Love, break up to make up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22097623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petri808/pseuds/Petri808
Summary: After breaking up and moving onto their own careers, a trip back home for the famous author Lucy brings old flames back to life.
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia
Series: Fairytail AU Short Stories & One Shots [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/760656
Comments: 1
Kudos: 29





	All I Want for Christmas

_“Come on it’d be great,”_ her friend Levy coaxes through the phone line. _“I haven’t seen you for over a year because of your hectic schedule.”_

Lucy sighs, “I know. The new book is doing great but travelling around the country for all the book signings has been tiresome.”

_“Exactly! Which is why you need to come back to our hometown for the holidays and get the much-needed R & R you deserve. I’m not taking no for an answer Lu, I’ll send Gajeel to kidnap you if I need to.”_

“Okay, okay!” Lucy laughs aloud and smiles to herself because she knows Levy would do it too. “I’ll come home for Christmas.”

_“Good! You can stay with me. Text me the deets when you book your flight.”_

“Alright. See you soon Lev…. And thanks!”

_“That’s what best friends are for…”_

_Magnolia._ Home to the Magnolia High Dragons and Fairytail Café where Lucy had spent the better part of her high school years hanging out with friends. After going away to nearby Crocus University, and a short-lived career at Sorcerer’s Weekly Magazine, her dreams had come true when one of her novels was picked up by a major publishing house. The rest, as one might say, was history. 

Three successful novels later and 9 years out of high school, Magnolia was a city always on her mind but far from her ability to visit as often as she’d like to. Most of her closest friends still lived and worked there, like Levy Redfox, her best friend. Unfortunately, it was much more convenient to live in the bigger city of Crocus, close to her editor, so for now, Lucy made do with visits every chance she had. 

It would be a 4-hour train ride from Crocus on the bullet train, putting her into Magnolia around 5pm that evening. Her plans were to stay a week, so as the train pulled away from Mercurius Station, Lucy settles in. Let the Vacation begin! There were so many things she was hoping to do in the short time she’d be visiting. One week sounds like a lot of time, but when you’re having fun it blows by quickly. 

Day one was all about relaxation and settling in at Levy’s home with her family. Lucy was excited to see how big the Redfox twins were getting. Day two was planned as quality girl time with Levy and their friend Cana. As an early Christmas present, she’d signed the trio up for a spa morning at Blue Pegasus, then lunch at Fairytail Café, ending with a shopping trip so Lucy could pick up gifts. She could have shopped back at home, but that would have required lugging everything with her on the train. For the third day, Lucy and Levy would prepare for the Christmas Eve party Levy was hosting, cleaning, organizing, decorating, and cooking that needed to be done. 

And that would bring her to Christmas Eve itself. The party was meant to be a friend reunion of sorts. As Cana had pointed out, parties were the quickest and easiest way to gather a bunch of people under one roof. All of their old friends from high school were planning on attending…

Lucy pauses in her thoughts. _All of their old friends._ She shakes off a creeping anxiety, nothing would ruin this trip for her as long as she didn’t let it. It’s not like it was a bad thing, awkward would be a better word for how she was feeling about seeing a certain person again. _‘You’ll be fine Lucy,’_ her unconscious chimes in, _‘you two ended on good terms, went your separate ways for the sake of career choices. There’s no shame in that. He hadn’t even crossed your mind in years.’_

That was true. This was the first time in probably 5 years that she’d actually thought about her high school sweetheart. Lucy had no idea what he was doing, if he was a family man now, or if he was even in Magnolia. She’d done that on purpose, not wanting to dredge up old emotions, even stayed away from social media to avoid coming across him and seeing things she may not want to see. Again, she shakes her head, _‘not gonna think about it!’_ It wasn’t worth getting her hopes up. Lucy pulls out her headphones and turns on her music, it was time to send him back to her past once more. 

“Levy!!” Lucy waves at her friend as she drags her suitcase across the train platform. The short woman was easy enough to spot thanks to the blue color of her hair. 

“Lucy!!” Levy wraps her arms around and hugs tightly to her friend. “I’m so excited you’re here!!” She lets go, crossing over to take hold of the suitcases pull handle, “let me help you.”

“Thanks,” Lucy smiles, pulling from the other side. 

Time flying by really was an understatement. Lucy had so much fun with Levy and Cana over the last couple of days, that she couldn’t even believe that Christmas Eve morning would dawn in a mere 7 hours. It was like the old days, the three of them goofing off around town, playing Princesses at the spa, and laughing it up at the café for hours. She was happy to see that place doing so well. Old man Makarov had finally given up the reigns to his grandson Laxus and his wife Mira to run, but while keeping the place the same, updated and livened it up even more. 

It was almost midnight, as Lucy and Levy reclined on the couch with a couple of mugs of cocoa going over the morning routine. They expected guests to start arriving around 4 or 5pm which gave them all day for any last-minute decorating and cooking. 

“I think we’ve got everything covered,” Levy states confidently. “I’ve got games for back up if things gets boring, music programmed on my Spotify. Gajeel is gonna take care of putting the drinks in the cooler and dealing with the grill. His parents will pick up the twins in the morning too.”

“I can’t wait to see everyone again,” Lucy takes a sip of her drink. “It’s been so long.”

“Everyone is excited to see you too Lu.”

Lucy brings her lips up to the cup and sips at her drink to muffle her words. “I doubt everyone.”

“Are you…” Levy sits forward, turning her body towards her friend, “Are you worried that Natsu won’t want to see you? He wouldn’t have accepted the invite if he felt that way.”

“I supposed,” Lucy sighs. She puts her drink down on the coffee table. “I’m probably just psyching myself out for nothing, but… 9 years is a long time.”

Levy places her hand on her friend’s shoulder, “you’ll be fine Lucy. Besides, there will be so many others here, you’ll have plenty of people to catch up with. Natsu will become just another face in the room.”

“I hope so.”

“You’re tired, so trying to sleep on it,” Levy squeezes Lucy’s shoulder before standing up. “In fact, we both need to get to bed.”

“You’re right. Goodnight Levy.”

All the guests had arrived by 6pm on Christmas Eve, packing the house full of people. Lucy was having a great time reconnecting with everyone, flitting around to the different pockets of partygoers. There was so much to talk about, she asking how they were doing, while they grilled her on the successes she was making in the literary world. Drinks flowed, music filled the air, and best of all her anxiety was keeping at bay for the time being. Natsu was around, talking with the guys and acting just as she’d imagined, unchanged, but seemingly uninterested in her. Not in a bad way, for he’d said hello, just not focused on her. Lucy wasn’t sure if that was upsetting or a relief. 

After all these years he had barely changed. Natsu still looked as he did the last time, she’d seen him outside of the Fairytail café. Their break-up was mutual since she needed to go away for college, and he was leaving for the national guard. But that didn’t mean the feeling she held for him had gone away. Lucy groans internally, _‘Why did he still have to look so damn good!’_ Her friend Juvia brought her up to speed on what Natsu had been doing. Apparently, he and Gray were now police officers here in Magnolia, which is why Natsu kept in such good shape. 

By 11pm, the party had wound down. A few guests that had to work the next day, including Gray and Juvia had gone home, leaving just a handful relaxing in the living room or dining room areas. Lucy stood in the entryway that separated the two rooms, leaning against the frame after a conversation with Erza. She was growing tired but didn’t want to go to bed while guests were still there. 

That was a lie. The main reason she didn’t want to leave was because Natsu was still there. All night she’d fought the urges bubbling up, the desire to see if there was still a spark between them. And the more it simmered, the more those thoughts ate away her. How do you go from being friends since primary school, joined at the hip by middle school, to a couple in love in high school, then nothing since then? Do such intents die so easily? A lot of people thought they’d become inseparable and were shocked when they broke up. It was both their choices, and both their faults for not keeping in touch over the years, but they’d been young. 

Lucy sighs, and turns away so if he looked, Natsu wouldn’t see the light tears building in her eyes. She drags her finger under her eyes, catching a couple drops of tears. A stupid song on the stereo wasn’t helping either. Mariah Carey belting out, _‘All I want for Christmas is you…’_ Yeah talk about a mood! Ugh, nostalgia mixed with alcohol was turning her into mush!

“Hey are you okay?” 

She feels a light graze against her waist and stiffens. “I’m fine,” Lucy turns with a fake smile plastered on her face to hide the sadness, “just getting tired.”

“Luce, I know it’s been a long time, but you can’t hide from me. I could always tell when you’re feeling down.”

“I’m fine really, Natsu,” her smile only widens. 

She knows he knows she’s lying. 

“If you say so,” he plays along for the time being. “Hey... um, we didn’t really get a chance to talk tonight, but I wanted to congratulate you on the new book.”

“Oh, thank you, that’s really sweet of you.”

“I always knew you would be successful one day.”

“It is what I always dreamed of.” She almost wanted to say, it was a lonely experience, but catches herself before it slips out. Sure, she was doing well, but she was all alone in Crocus, and quite possibly this career is what cost her the once love of her life. Lucy pauses in thought, that was the first time she realized that about her choice. But it was a hard choice to make, her dream of being an author, or her dream man slipping through her fingers?

Natsu notices Lucy zoning out and waves a hand in front of her face. “Earth to Lucy?”

“S-Sorry.”

He chuckles, “I have one more question.”

She looks up and notices a nervousness settle on his face. “Oh--kay?”

“Are you still single?” Natsu rubs the back of his neck. “I-I don’t mean to be so forward, but I figured this might be my only chance and I needed to take it.”

Lucy blinks in surprise. “Yes, I’m still single. Why do you ask?”

“Because if you are then…. Then I want to do this.”

Before she can even ask what ‘this’ is, Natsu leans down and steals a rough and needy kiss upon her lips, holding it for what felt like a lifetime. 

Lucy’s body immediately melts against him, and he reacts by wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her. All those dormant memories of their past trysts flood her mind. Natsu always felt so…. Perfectly made for her, and she for him. 

Natsu pulls away slowly, letting their lips hover for a second, as if preparing for round two, before releasing part of his grip. He lowers his head, closing his eyes, savoring the heat left on his skin. “God Luce, I’m such an idiot for letting you go once.”

With a deep breath to steady herself again, Lucy leans her forehead to his. “You’re not the only one at fault.” She sighs, “I stayed away out of fear that you’d moved on, because I think my heart wouldn’t be able to take it. But we’re here… now…. It’s a… second chance if we want it.”

He smiles and cradles her face, “You’re all I ever wanted Luce.”


End file.
